Everton are determined to fend off transfer interest from Manchester United for Jarrad Branthwaite this summer. But the Red Devils are closing in on one of his mentors in Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Everton, who insist they don’t expect to lose the defender and are actively planning for him to be with them next season, unless a mega offer comes in, deemed the Red Devils' opening bid of £35million plus add-ons for him as unacceptable. But their resolve is set to be tested by an improved package with Old Trafford chiefs understood to still be heavily interested in the centre-back.
Speaking to the ECHO last season, Branthwaite said: “As a striker Ruud knew what defenders didn’t like so he was always giving me little tips, about body positions and how to defend against different kind of strikers, which helped me massively. The whole experience matured me as a player, as a man as well and I came back a much better player than I had been 12 months previously.